VIRTUS Training and Compliance
As a catholic school, we need many, many volunteers to do many different types of things. Volunteering with children in any capacity with our school is a privilege and requires proper training and vetting in order to keep everyone safe. There are certain volunteer tasks that you CANNOT DO if you are not in compliance, including anything in the school building while students are present, field trip chaperone, coach, help a teacher in the classroom, lunch or recess duty, among other things. It’s best to just do this now and get it out of the way.
To become compliant, you must do these things:
1. Set up an account on www.virtusonline.org
click the green bar which says FIRST TIME REGISTRANT
select Chicago, IL (Archdiocese) from the drop down menu
set up a login and password one time
consent to and submit the required online background check
2. Complete a VIRTUS Training session and provide a copy of your certificate
of completion to the school office.3. Complete the requirements following the Compliance Guidelines Chart. (Español)
ANY adult family member, who hopes to volunteer with our students either at school or during a school sanctioned event must take special Virtus training and then complete several forms and steps to become compliant each year with the Archdiocese Office for the Protection of Children and Youth.
Once you have completed everything, send all the forms to Gigi Ybarra in the school office. Nothing goes in the mail to the state.
VIRTUS TRAINING ALREADY COMPLETED? YOU'RE NOT QUITE DONE!
Thank you for your support of Pope Francis Global Academy through volunteer service. Though you only need to take the initial VIRTUS class one time, you DO need to stay up-to-date on your Virtus account and training in order to continue volunteering for our school each year, and to keep your account "active."
Each month you are sent a VIRTUS Monthly Training Bulletin. Normally, it’s simply a one page newsletter to read and answer one question. Occasionally, there is an additional training module they will ask everyone to do.
The quickest and easiest way to stay up-to-date and keep an active account is to click through the link in that monthly email right away when you receive it, and complete everything immediately before you forget! It will normally take no more than 5 minutes.
The link takes you to the VIRTUS page, where you will sign in. Under the HOME tab you will see:
Monthly bulletins - complete these every month to remain in good standing
Current Training - complete any new training that may have been posted here
Background Checks - this will tell you if you need a new background check...complete this if it is not current
Required Documents - this will tell you if you required updated documents...complete these if not current
Please submit training certificates and required documents to the school office right away once you're done. There is no need to send them anywhere else. There is nothing to turn in after you complete the monthly bulletins.
When you log into VIRTUS, if you find that your account has been inactivated, please contact Gigi Ybarra at gybarra@pfgacdemy.org to have it reactivated.
Each year we will remind you that you need to get or remain in compliance by doing those 4 things above. Once you have become compliant, you only have to re-submit a new CANTS form to the school office each year in August and read/complete the monthly emailed newsletters and quizzes.
Thank you for volunteering, which not only helps our school keep the tuition costs down, but also helps to build community, and sets a great example for our children of service to others!
Please understand that if you have not done your part to get and remain compliant to volunteer, you will be turned away from certain volunteer opportunities. Thank you for understanding.